Student Profile: Diane McLaughlin

Please tell us a little bit about your career to date.  
I lead system-level strategic planning for Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group for primary care and community care. My career spans across health and social care. I have worked in Public Health at Devon Health Authority, also as Transformation Project Manager at Plymouth Hospital, Complaints and Litigation Manager at Plymouth Primary Care Trust, Adult Social Care Commissioning Manager at the Borough of Poole and now working as Principal Lead for Infrastructure and Workforce Planning.

How did you come across MSc Healthcare Facilities and what inspired you to do the course?  
I am extremely keen on learning new skills and knowledge, and sharing my thinking and debate with others in a safe and productive, supporting environment and that is why I applied to UCL to study the MSc in Healthcare Facilities. I was looking to further my knowledge and understanding of the healthcare built environment and decided to study this programme as the learning I need to undertake needs to be credible, nationally recognised, provide sound, practical and up to date information to enable me embed the knowledge gotten into the local NHS system. 

What is your highlight (one big takeaway) from the course?   
One of my highlights from the course was the site visits we had to healthcare buildings either currently in construction or in use. Another was hearing from a blend of national and international reseachers, academic speakers and experts in the healthcare building industry. Working together with multi-professionals from different backgrounds, experience and nationalities with the aim of improving the future of the healthcare built environment was another experience I really appreciated. 

Would you recommend the course to others, can you tell us why?  
Yes, I would. This course spans all of healthcare from primary care, mental health facilitates, care homes, community-based space as well as acute hospitals which is unique. The last 3 years have been thought-provoking, enlightening and thrilling, all in one go. If you want to know more about learning at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, then take that step and find out more. I did and it’s been great!

How has this course contributed to your current role/how does it link to what you would like to do in your future career?  
This role will enable me to use my learning to directly influence the current and future NHS capital schemes and strategic planning.